- Hardcover: 416 pages
- Publisher: Allen Lane (22 Feb 2007)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0713997990
- ISBN-13: 978-0713997996
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 16 x 4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 182,721 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Trouble with Physics
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Product Description
Bryan Appleyard, Sunday Times
'The best book about contemporary science written for the layman
that I have ever read ... Read this book. Twice.'
that I have ever read ... Read this book. Twice.'
Roger Penrose, author of The Road to Reality
'His critical judgments are exceptionally penetrating ... Read
this fascinating book and form your own judgment.'
this fascinating book and form your own judgment.'
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
FROM THE BEGINNING of physics, there have been those who imagined they would be the last generation to face the unknown. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
FROM THE BEGINNING of physics, there have been those who imagined they would be the last generation to face the unknown. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
83 of 85 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Lee Smolin is one of those rare physicists who writes a good story about his subject. He is also unusual because he works in an unfashionable area of physics, dauntingly known as "loop quantum gravity," and has avoided jumping on the string bandwagon. Most physicists today think that string theory is the ultimate "theory of everything," and Smolin claims that it is hard to get taken seriously if you don't ride this bandwagon. But he also thinks it is being ridden up a dead end, and that physics has made a fundamental wrong turning.
There's no sour grapes in any of this. He just wants people to be more open minded anbd look at other possibilities, not necessarily loop quantum gravity. And he does a brilliant job of explaining string theory itself. I particularly like his discussion of how there are an infinite number of solutions to the single theory of general relativity, and the infinite number of string "theories" ought really to be regarded as solutions to a single underlying theory we have not yet discovered.
But there's as much sociology as science in the book, and Smolin gloomily confesses that he can't see any reason why "an intellectually ambitious young person with an original and impatient mind" would want to be "limited to working in any of the current research programmes." If anything can inspire such people and get their imagination working "outside the box" this is the book to do it.
There's no sour grapes in any of this. He just wants people to be more open minded anbd look at other possibilities, not necessarily loop quantum gravity. And he does a brilliant job of explaining string theory itself. I particularly like his discussion of how there are an infinite number of solutions to the single theory of general relativity, and the infinite number of string "theories" ought really to be regarded as solutions to a single underlying theory we have not yet discovered.
But there's as much sociology as science in the book, and Smolin gloomily confesses that he can't see any reason why "an intellectually ambitious young person with an original and impatient mind" would want to be "limited to working in any of the current research programmes." If anything can inspire such people and get their imagination working "outside the box" this is the book to do it.
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a book of two parts. The first, and thankfully larger, part deals with an examination of the scientific discipline of physics and its ultimate goal of unification. Smolin gives a well constructed overview of the workings of science and particularly that of physics over the centuries, but pays particular regard to that which has happened since Einstein's phenomenal contribution, through to 21st century theories of quantum gravity.
The main focus of this book is in arguing that physics (in particular, but perhaps science in general) has, to an extent lost its way in recent decades; he does this by comparing the rapid advancement of early 20th century physics with its important discoveries of relativity, spacetime, wave-particle duality, quantum mechanics and the Big Bang, against the relative hiatus of the last 30 years. He argues that science throughout the ages has matched theory to experiment but that with the advent of string theory the experimental evidence has not been forthcoming. What is more of an issue is that, even given the fact that string theory has not made a single new testable prediction, it has nevertheless attracted a substantial proportion of new scientists and university research budgets. Although this issue is addressed throughout the book the latter few chapters is devoted almost entirely to it, and whilst these are somewhat interesting, unless you're a university employed scientist involved in (or the recipient of) research budgets you may find these chapters a little tedious. Also Smolin works in the US and mainly talks about the US string theory press gangs, whilst this is obviously an issue globally I'm not in academia and so I'm not sure to what extent this is replicated in universities around the world.
On the whole this is an informative read highlighting upto date and alternative (to string theory) theories of quantum gravity; each chapter is accompanied by a comprehensive reference section of related material much of which makes very interesting additional reading. If you're an undergraduate physics student (especially one hoping to go into ToE/quantum gravity research) then this is definitely worth a read, at the very least it might encourage you to have the courage to go against the string theory grain.
The main focus of this book is in arguing that physics (in particular, but perhaps science in general) has, to an extent lost its way in recent decades; he does this by comparing the rapid advancement of early 20th century physics with its important discoveries of relativity, spacetime, wave-particle duality, quantum mechanics and the Big Bang, against the relative hiatus of the last 30 years. He argues that science throughout the ages has matched theory to experiment but that with the advent of string theory the experimental evidence has not been forthcoming. What is more of an issue is that, even given the fact that string theory has not made a single new testable prediction, it has nevertheless attracted a substantial proportion of new scientists and university research budgets. Although this issue is addressed throughout the book the latter few chapters is devoted almost entirely to it, and whilst these are somewhat interesting, unless you're a university employed scientist involved in (or the recipient of) research budgets you may find these chapters a little tedious. Also Smolin works in the US and mainly talks about the US string theory press gangs, whilst this is obviously an issue globally I'm not in academia and so I'm not sure to what extent this is replicated in universities around the world.
On the whole this is an informative read highlighting upto date and alternative (to string theory) theories of quantum gravity; each chapter is accompanied by a comprehensive reference section of related material much of which makes very interesting additional reading. If you're an undergraduate physics student (especially one hoping to go into ToE/quantum gravity research) then this is definitely worth a read, at the very least it might encourage you to have the courage to go against the string theory grain.
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I am a eighteen year old about to embark (hopefully!) on a degree in theoretical physics. I found this book very refreshing as it addresses the fact that it is becoming impossible to distingush the legimately scientific and the plain crazy in scientific journals today. Smolin addresses some key issues that I have been having trouble with since embarking on my wider reading around the subject.
This book is articulate and the arguements are compelling, it is definitely worth reading for anyone with even a mild interest in physics.
This book is articulate and the arguements are compelling, it is definitely worth reading for anyone with even a mild interest in physics.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Excellent wide ranging book
Smolin's book is an excellent read from two different perspectives. First it provides a historical perspective on developments in particle physics and quantum gravity from 1975 to... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Robert Shaw
Lynching Of String Theorists?
This book describes the 30 year stagnation in modern physics,as apparently useless-in-a-physical-sense string theory supplants everything else. Read more
Published 9 months ago by G. Fowler
One of the best books ever on contemporary physics
Smolin's effort is outstanding. He managed to write an excellent book. Contemporary physics is explained in a simple but brilliant way. Read more
Published 11 months ago by UI designer
Timely reminder of the need for revolutionary thinkers
This is an important book. A timely reminder to support the visionaries of which Einstein was probably the most famous. I learned something which shocked me. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Mr. M. J. Reynolds
Excellent informative read
I got this book not long after it came out, and I've read it several times since. It's really rather good, and not too difficult to understand for anyone with some basic knowledge... Read more
Published 12 months ago by W. Young
We're in trouble
I have been acquainted with Lee Smolin's work primarily through his contribution to the research in loop quantum gravity. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Dr. Bojan Tunguz
One small step
It is fantastic that even in the twenty first century, there are still a few physicists like Smolin who are prepared to risk the wrath of their colleagues and criticise mainstream... Read more
Published 14 months ago by William Newtspeare
The trouble with Physics
It's great to see lateral thinking in Physics. A book to read over & over again by those of us who cannot get their heads around string theory.
Published 16 months ago by Mr. H. E. Mccaw
An excellent book about the state of Physics today
Lee Smolin gives a great overview of what Physics is up to these days. However, he is also a bitter man who has found that if you don't like string theory you get pushed to one... Read more
Published 18 months ago by David Hampson
Great summary of the state of Physics for the non-specialist
This is a fascinating insight into the world of theoretical physics from an acknowledged authority. The majority of the book is a thoroughly enjoyable tour of ideas that occupy the... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Lynden Hughes
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